N.Y. Education Law § 2554-b: Special provisions relating to the city school district of the city of New York during emergency period

§ 2554-b. Special provisions relating to the city school district of

the city of New York during emergency period. 1. As used in this

section, the term "emergency period" shall mean the period from the

effective date of this section to the first day of July, nineteen

hundred sixty-two.

2. In order to place the educational affairs of the city school

district of the city of New York under the closer supervision of the

regents and the commissioner during the emergency period, the board of

education of such district shall submit to the regents and the

commissioner and to the mayor of the city of New York on the first day

of January and April, nineteen hundred sixty-two, an interim progress

report in such form and detail as the commissioner shall prescribe and

on the first day of July, nineteen hundred sixty-two, a final report in

such form and detail as the commissioner shall prescribe as to:

a. the corrective action taken in the emergency period and planned by

the board of education with respect to the administration of the program

for new school building construction;

b. the corrective action taken in the emergency period and planned by

the board of education with respect to the repair and maintenance of

existing school buildings and other structures under the control of the

school district;

c. the disciplinary action taken in the emergency period with respect

to employees guilty of accepting gratuities in relation to the

performance of their duties, and the corrective action taken by the

board of education to prevent recurrences of such misconduct;

d. the corrective action taken in the emergency period and planned by

the board of education with respect to administrative reform and the

development of a program for the division of responsibility between the

board and the superintendent of schools and the administrative staff for

the more efficient and effective management of the district;

e. the plans developed and action taken in the emergency period by the

board of education for the revitalization of local school boards and for

increased participation of residents throughout the city of New York in

the affairs of their local neighborhood schools;

f. the plans developed and action taken in the emergency period by the

board of education to establish a long-range program and the necessary

staff organization for better informed and coordinated planning of new

school construction and the modernization of existing structures; and

g. the steps taken in the emergency period by the board of education

to evaluate and to improve the quality of instruction in the schools.

3. During the emergency period, the board of education of the city

school district of the city of New York shall have, specifically, the

power:

a. To undertake any studies, inquiries, surveys or analyses it may

deem relevant through the personnel of the district or in cooperation

with or by agreement with any other public or private agency;

b. To employ and at pleasure remove educational, engineering,

architectural, legal or management consultants and such other assistants

as it may deem necessary for the performance of its functions and fix

their compensation within the amounts made available by appropriation

therefor;

c. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one of section

twenty-five hundred sixty-five of this chapter, to remove at its

pleasure by a vote of a majority of all its members, the superintendent,

any deputy superintendent or any associate superintendent of schools of

the district irrespective of the date of their appointments, provided,

however, that the board may enter into a contract with the

superintendent of schools for a period of not less than three and not

more than five years; and

d. To authorize the superintendent of schools and the administrative

staff of the district by by-law, rule, regulation or resolution to

exercise on its behalf such of its administrative and ministerial powers

and duties with respect to the administration of the city school

district, the purchase, repair, remodeling, improvement or enlargement

of school buildings or other buildings or sites and the construction of

new buildings as the board deems necessary or desirable for the more

efficient administration of the district or for the more expeditious

completion of school construction, maintenance or repairs, provided,

however, that the board shall not authorize the superintendent of

schools and the administrative staff to exercise any powers and duties

relating to its investigative or judicial functions.